Flexible shaft-coupling.



W JTM/55555 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

@41am/M BENJAMINl F. AUGUSTINE, F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

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Speciloation of Letters Patent.`

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Appneation marchi-um,- 15, 1911. serial No. 608,703.

`To all whom it may `concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. AUGUS- TINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Eric and State of New York, have invented certainv new and useful Improvements in Flexible Shaft- Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to flexible shaft which are yieldably connected by flexible elements, on which are loosely mounted sleeves or other form of combined spacing and driving connections adapted to maintain the fingers in spaced relation particularly in the event of loosening of the flexi ble connecting elements. -1

With the above and other objects in view the present invention consists in the comf bination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodithat changes may be made in .the form, proportion, size and minor details wit-hout departing from the spirit or, sacril ficing `any advantages of the invent-ion.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a erspective view of the invention.

Fig. 2 1s a side elevation illustrating the coupling supporting shafts out of alinement.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig.Y

4 is a cross sectional. view on the line a--a of Fig. 2.

Now referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the reference char-L acters A and B i'ndicate coupling members, each including a hub 1, 2 provided with a radial fiange 3 formed to provide equidis- I tant, radial fingers 4 which are increased in thickness orv otherwise enlarged at their outerends, as at 5, with the enlargements COIII- having their'innerfaces provided with one or more-grooves 6. The fingers of one coupling member arey preferably disposed between t-he fingers of the companion coupling members, there being flexible metallic or other yieldable elements 7 connecting the fingers ofboth membersA and disposed in the grooves of the thickenedv portions of the fingers and clamped therein through the instrumentality yof suitable clamping plates 8, which latter have their inner faces grooved to coincide with the grooves 6 of the fingers. These plates 8 may be clamped to the fingers in any suitable manner, preferably by the studs 9 which have screw-threaded engagement in the screw-threaded sockets 10 of the thickened portions of the fingers.

Ifv desired, insulating material 11 may be disposed on the flexible elements 7 between the fingers and the clamping plates and I preferably mount loosely on the flexible elements 7 between the ngers of one coupling `member and the fingers of the companion directed toward theycompanion member and l in insulating material, against the outer sides of which the corresponding shafts 14, 15 abut and in which cups is located a ball 16 by virtue of which latter there 'is formed between the coupling members a universal joint connectionwhich facilitates adjust ment of the coupling members with relation to each other for the accommodation of the respective shafts that are coupled by my improved coupling and insuring their proper support irrespective of whether they be 1n true alinement or at an angle one to the other. vThe shafts 14, 15 are keyed to the hubs of the coupling members in any suitable manner, the set screws 17 being one way in which the shafts may be fastened to fthe coupling members.

What I claim is coupling members, each member yincluding 11k 1. A flexible shaft coupling comprising a hub and radial fingers, the fingers of one member being arranged out of alinement with the fingers of the other member, flexible elements connecting the ngersof the members, and driving connections on the flexible elements engaging the adjacent n. gers of opposite members.

2. A flexible shaft coupling comprising Vcoupling members, each member including a hub and radial lingers, flexible elements connecting the ingers of the members, and combined spacing and driving connections loosely mounted on the flexible elements between adjacent ngers of the companion members.

3. A flexible shaft coupling comprising coupling members, each having radial lingers, the fingers of one member being arranged between the fingers of the companion member, flexible elements connecting the fingers of the members, combined spacing and driving connections loosely mounted on the flexible elements between adjacent fingers of companion members, and a universal joint connection between the members.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature in presence of tivo witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. AUGUSTIN E. Witnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERS, GEO. C. SHOEMAKER. 

